Gotham Knightsis the latest Batman game to be released on next-gen consoles. The game stars The Dark Knight’s proteges Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Robin as they honor the legacy of their mentor and set out to protect Gotham from criminals.
Gotham Knightshonors the many thousands of projects across the franchise’s history by creating dozens of wearable bat suits, some inspired by animated shows, anime, and action figures. For those curious about where these suits come from and what source material they are based on, the following information should prove interesting.
RELATED:Gotham Knights Releases New Update
New Guard
“New Guard” is the first suit style that players can use and was featured inGotham Knight’srelease trailerand promotional material. The New Guard style appears to be paying homage to past suit design choices. For instance, the bright and distinctive purple of Batgirl’s suit may be an homage to the suit worn by actress Yvonne Craig in the 1960 television seriesBatman.
Titan
The “Titan” suit style features a heavily armored facade, with the emphasis on armor pieces across the suit being a departure from Batman’s gadget-filled costumes. The design could be inspired byDC Comic’sNew 52revamp. In the bevy of changes to theBatmanfranchises, one of the most noticeable was the modernized suit styles, focusing on the idea of suits as body armor instead of a costume.
Batman Beyond
Theanimated seriesBatman Beyondis directly influencing the “Beyond” suit style. The animated show depicted a Neo-Gotham that was full of new villains using futuristic tech, creating a need for a Batman that could match it. The neo-futurism and cyberpunk genre elements ofBatman Beyondcome through in each suit’s dark and sleek silhouettes, echoing the completely black suit style seen in the animated series.
Eternal
The “Eternal” suit style is noticeably more elevated than the “New Guard” suit, giving off an air of legacy while including anartist’s take on Batman.The suit style itself seems to be a mid-point between classic suit styles and the heavily-armored suits seen in theNew 52Batmanrevamp. These outfits feature each character’s primary color in a muted palette, focusing on a classic “comic book” appeal.
RELATED:Gotham Nights: Nightwing’s Relationship with Haly’s Circus Explained
Knight Ops
TheGotham Knightsdesign team was taking inspiration from across the entireBatmanfranchise, including action figures. The closest tie to the “Knight Ops” suit style is found in aJustice LeagueBatman action figure. The Mattel Batman wearing high-tech gear fit for undercover stealth operations. TheGotham Knightssuit style matches this aesthetic, showcasing body armor, ammo pouches, and gear hidden throughout the suit.
Privateer
The “Privateer” suit style is a fun re-imagining of what theBatmanfranchise might look like if it was transported to a pirate universe. The suit style is an homage to pirate culture, featuring heavy overcoats, tall boots, and belts. One popular version ofPirate Captain Batman is inBatman: Leatherwing. Therun of comics features the Bat family as a crew sailing during the golden age of piracy as they work to fight rival pirate ships on behalf of the British Crown.
Neon Noir
LongtimeBatmanfans might remember that in the early days of the franchise, the color palette used was very dark, reflecting theclassic neo-noir themesof Gotham City while including pops of color that show the business of vigilantism has changed to being full of hope. The suit style also notably includes elements more suitable for tactical combat in a city.
Knightwatch
The “Knightwatch” suit style is a sure treat for fans of theBatmancomics, as the suits featured were designed byDC Comics CCO, artist, and writer Jim Lee. Jim Lee was one of the architects behind theNew 52DC Comics relaunch.
Out of the14Gotham Knightssuit styles, the Knightwatch suits feel straight out of a comic book, with Robin’s classic sleeveless silhouette, Batgirl’s black and yellow suit echoing Batman’s influence, and more. This set of suits is only available with the deluxe and collector’s editions ofGotham Knights.
Demon
The “Demon” suit style is arguably one of the coolest available in the game, including a style influenced by Japanese ninja culture. The Demon suit style capitalizes on stealth, with characters decked out in armor that has feudal-era design elements. This suit is the perfect choice for players who want to stalk and intimidate their enemies from stealth, a perfect callback to the ninja who may have inspiredBatman’s stealth-heavy combat style.
Metal
Similar to the armor-forward designs seen in theNew 52,the"Metal" suit style inGotham Knightsdecks out the Bat family in head-to-toe metal casing. While the suit doesn’t have any bulletproof properties in the game, it allows players to use a flashy, mechanized version of the classic bat silhouette in an Ironman-style design that could almost be seen as a look to the future.
Shinobi
The “Shinobi” suit style could be an homage to the armor styles seen in Manga. What is amazing is that there have been quite a fewJapanese-helmedBatmanstories.A notable adaption of the comic book franchise isBatman Ninja,a 2018 animated film that pulls theBatmanfranchise into feudal Japan, forcing Bruce Wayne and the Bat crew to don armor suited for the time period.
Year One
The “Year One” suit style is a fun homage to the idea of the “first superhero suit,” the prototype costume that every vigilante wears on their first night out. Of course, the Bat family would always have access to high-tech attire, but it’s a unique look and really puts an emphasis on the young vigilantism at play.
Talon
The “Talon” suit style is unique toGotham Knights, as it is an homage to theTalons assassins that work for the Court of Owls. The suits are an unsettling vision of what the Gotham Knights would look like as Talons themselves. The Talons are a formidable force in the game, and this suit style emphasizes the dark and uneasy nature of the organization that may be seen in a futureGotham Knightssequel.
Knighthood
The “Knighthood” suit style feels more classicallyBatman, fitting in with the dark skyline of Gotham City. While the Knighthood suit style is a departure from the brightly-colored outfits worn by the characters in the most recent comics, they could be a symbol of mourning, given thatBatman’s untimely passingis a main aspect of the game’s story.
Gotham Knightsis available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
MORE:Comparing The State of DC and Marvel Videogames
